Pneumatic chambered flushometer



Dec. 8, 1959 J. D. LANGDON PNEUMATIC CHAMBERED FLUSHOMETER Filed Aug.19. 1957 mvEN'roR' PNEUMATIC CHAMBERED FLUSHOMETER Jesse D. Langdon,Long Beach, Calif.

Application August 19, 1957, Serial No. 678,799

4 Claims. (Cl. 431) This invention relates to flush valves primarily foruse with water closet bowls and the like, and new and usefulimprovements with the following objects and purposes in view.

The primary object is to combine a fluid pressure accumulation chamberwith a flush valve, including means to permit entry of pressure fluidinto said pressure chamber in the shape of both atmosphere and liquid oncompletion of each evacuation cycle of the valve.

Another object is to establish pneumatic pressure in the accumulationchamber by trapping atmosphere above a body of liquid flowing into thechamber under pressure by providing an outlet common to bothaccumulation chamber and valve, said outlet becoming an air inlet at theend of each flushing cycle.

Another object is to provide the accumulation chamber with an outlet ofgreater capacity than the inlet, whereby liquid flowing from the inletis insuflicient to fill the outlet passage to capacity when the valve isopen thereby permitting atmosphere to enter the accumulation chamberfrom the opposite direction to that of liquid passing from the inlet oflesser capacity than that of the outlet.

A still further object is to provide means to retard the closure of thevalve until accumulated liquid has been completely evacuated from theaccumulation chamber thereby permitting atmosphere to bypass the liquidstream flowing through the outlet from an inlet of lesser capacity.

A still further object is to trap and accumulate atmosphere in apressure chamber provided above the outlet and create an ample volume ofpneumatic pressure above a liquid level entering an accumulation chamberwhen the valve is closed, said pneumatic pressure acting to retardliquid entry into the chamber during the filling cycle and accelerateliquid evacuation from said chamber in proportion to pressure changeoccuring in said chamber during evacuation of liquid.

A still further object is to teach a formula of ratio and proportionbetween the flow capacity of the accumulation chamber, an inlet and anoutlet whereby the volume of air supplied to and contained within thechamber is great enough with respect to liquid volume accumulated withinsaid chamber to completely evacuate said chamber except for liquidflowing from the inlet in volume suflicient to fill the outlet ofgreater capacity than the inlet thereby permitting atmosphere to enterthe chamber simultaneously with the outflow of liquid emanating from theinlet.

Other and further objects and purposes will appear during progress ofthe specification as illustrated by the drawing depicting one form ofreduction to practice which may be changed within the scope of theclaims.

The figure of the drawing shows a flushometer valve .including a casing1 provided with a pressure fluid accumulation chamber 2 having a liquidsupply inlet 3 and outlet 4 providing liquid discharge means and airinlet means. a tiltable valve member 5 normally closing said UnitedStates Patent 0 outlet 4, manual actuating means 18, being provided toopen the valve 5, valve retarding means 6 including a float 14 within afloat chamber 15 provided with a drain passage 11 around stem 9 providedto delay closure of said valve 5 until liquid is sufliciently evacuatedto permit atmosphere to enter the chamber 2 located intermediate of saidinlet 3 and outlet 4 and above said outlet, said inlet 3 providing aliquid pressure supply element for said chamber 2 and being of less flowcapacity than said outlet 4, said chamber 2 forming a passage of atleast greater flow capacity than the combined capacity of both theliquid supply inlet 3 and said outlet 4, the valve retarding means 6 isoperative to delay closure of the outlet valve 5 until said chamber 2has been evacuated of liquid, said outlet 4 being of greater capacitysupply inlet 3, said pneumatic pressure effective to accelerate liquidflow from said chamber to gush forth from said outlet when the valve isopened.

The essence of the invention lies in the combination with any controlledvalve mechanism of a fluid accumulation chamber for both atmosphere andliquid provided With inlet 3 and outlet passage 4 and a tiltable valve 5for closing and easy opening of said outlet passage, said inlet 3 beingof less liquid flow capacity than said outlet 4, said accumulationchamber 2 being located above said outlet 4 and providing a passagecapacity at least as great as the combined flow capacity of said inlet 3and said outlet 4 together with valve control means concomitant andadapted to hold said valve 5 open until said accumulation chamber 2 hasbeen evacuated of liquid, said valve 5 being held open, said inlet 3being of ber 2 provided with an inlet 3 and an outlet 4 of greaterpressure fluid flow capacity than the inlet 3. The chamber 2 having atleast as much fluid flow capacity as the inlet 3 and outlet 4 combined.

A tubular member 12 extended vertically through the chamber 2 housesvalve retarding means 6 indicated by a bracket line embracing indicatingnumerals of several "elements, housing 12, partition 13, a restricteddrain passage 11 for float chamber 15 containing float 14.

The tubular member includes the outlet 4 and houses a tiltable outletvalve 5 resting on seat 23 normally closing the outlet and beingprovided with a stem 7 pivotally attached near the peripheral edge ofthe valve 5 to permit the valve 5 to tilt open progressively for easyopening against pressure, the stem 7 standing vertically and beingprovided with a transversely disposed eye 8 extended laterally from stem7 and toward the axial line -of the valve 5 permits independent movementof stem 9 'and valve 5. A second stem 9 is disposed vertically andreciprocally through a partition 13 providing a bottom for float chamber15. Journal orifice 11 provides a restricted opening formed by aclearance space around stem 9, serving to drain liquid slowly throughthe partition forming the bottom 13 of float chamber 15 provided with aport 21 near the upper end of float 14 when valve 5 is seated andlocated below the maximum liquid level in chamber 2. The stem 9 isextended through chamber bottom 13 and is integral with a float 14located in float chamber 15. Stem 9 is provided with eyes -1041 atopposite ends, the lower end of stem 9 extends downwardly through eye 3and terminates in eye 10 of larger diameter than the eye 3. The upperend of stem 9 is extended through an eye 16a of stem 16 and terminatesin an eye 16a of larger diameter than the eye 16a.

This construction depicts the stem 16 extended through a cap 17 and ahole in the proximate end of an actuator lever or handle 18 fulcrumed bycap 17. The upper end of stem 16 being enlarged at 16b and providing oneof a series of universal joints together with eyes 10a, 16a, 8 and 10enchaining handle 18, stem 16 stem 9, stem 7 and valve 5 togetherforming manual actuating means for the device.

The drawing further depicts:

A casing provided with a chamber 2 for the accumulation of fluid underpressure such as air and liquid; the tubular housing 12 is extendedvertically through chamher 2, the lower end of the housing providingoutlet 4- of greater capacity than inlet 3 having a flow capacityinsuflflcient to fill said outlet 4 when valve 5 is held open. Thetiltable valve member 5 normally rests on an annular valve seat 23closing said outlet 4. The valve member 5 is provided with stem 7pivotally secured oif center to the upper side of and for the purpose ofeasy progressive opening of outlet 4 by tilting valve 5. The laterallyextended portion of the stem 7 being provided with a horizontallydisposed eye 8 and pointing toward the axial line of valve 5. Stem 9 isextended vertically through the center of and secured to the floatchamber and reciprocates through eye 8, partition 13 and eye 16a of stem16 which is extended upwardly through cap 17 and operably secured to avalve actuating lever or handle 18. A set-nut i9 is threadedly securedover the lower end of the tubular housing 12. A cap 17 is threadedlysecured to the upper end of the housing 12. Gaskets are provided betweenthe cap 17 and the nut 18 and the respective outside wall portions 12 ofthe chamber 15 which is suitably flattened to provide a leak proof sealagainst the leakage of pressure fluid When the cap 17 and nut 19 areconvergently adjusted.

When the end of handle 18 is depressed, the rod 16 is raised togetherwith the float l4 unseating valve 5 enough to enable the float 14 toraise the eye 8 toward the partition 13. The housing 12 is provided withport means 21 communicating between the chamber 2 and the float chamber15 at a point below a predetermined liquid level in chamber 2 and abovethe float 14 permitting liquid to enter and fill the float chamber 15with liquid effective to support the float 14 in raised position holdingvalve 5 in raised position. The clearance opening 11 provided around thestem 7 permits liquid to be evacuated slowly from the float chamber 15thereby pro viding means to delay closure of valve 5, ultimately low-=ering the float 14 and valve 5 to close outlet 4.

The stem 9 is provided with a vertically disposed eye 10 and is extendedupwardly through the eye 8 of stem 7 and reciprocates through theopening formed by the clearance space disposed through the partition 13.The clearance space 11 around the stem 9 eflective to drain the floatchamber 15 of liquid contents after the chamber .2 has been evacuatedand while the valve 5 is still unseated. The stem 7 is pivotally securednear the edge of and causes valve 5 to be initially tilted when opening,before being lifted by pressure to position shown by broken lines.

The housing 12 is provided with outlet ports 2222 above the annularvalve seat 23, the ports communicating with outlet 4. The housingsurrounds the partition 13 forming the bottom of the float chamber 15containing the float 14 which is integral with the stem 9 whichterminates in a vertically disposed eye 10a after being extended throughthe horizontally disposed eye 16a of stem 16 forming sliding connectionsbetween the valve 5 and handle 18 to permit the independent closing movement of the valve 5, float 14 and the handle 18 after the handle 18 isreleased and after accumulated liquid has been discharged from theoutlet 4 and a new charge of air has entered the chamber 2 during thedelayed closure of valve 5 permitting liquid to be discharged from, andatmosphere to enter chamber 2 prior to closing outlet 4.

Atmosphere is permitted to enter the chamber 2 through outlet 4 untilwater is drained out of the float chamber 15 after evacuation of chamber2. When the valve 5 seats, closing outlet 4, water entering throughinlet 3 cannot rise in chamber 2 so long as water is draining out offloat chamber 15 delaying closure of valve 5 until float is lowered bythe evacuation of liquid from chamber 2.

When the valve 5 seats closing outlet 4, water entering through inlet 3again rises in chamber 2 creating pneumatic pressure therein anew up tothat of the liquid supply pressure.

Experimentation seems to prove that for practical pur poses the chamber2 should have a flow capacity equal to at least the combined capacity ofthe inlet 3 and the outlet 4.

For use in flushing a water closet bowl, best results are obtained byproviding the chamber 2 of at least 20 times the flow capacity of theinlet 3 and outlet 2 combined.

Having described the invention, the construction and operation thereof,the following claims are made:

1. A pneumatic chambered flushometer comprising an outer casing forminan accumulation chamber for containrnent of pneumatic and liquidpressure elements, a pressure sealed tubular valve control unit mountedin the casing, extended downwardly through said accumulation chamber andhaving a discharge end concomitant the lower casing wall, a liquidoutlet communicating with said discharge end, said casing being providedwith a liquid inlet of substantially less flow capacity than saidoutlet, a horizontally disposed partition in said control unit formingupper and lower chambers, a float in the upper chamber, port meanscommunicating between said accumulation chamber and said float chamber,a tiltable valve in the lower chamber, stem means on said floatprojecting upwardly and downwardly from opposite sides of said float,valve actuating means secured to the upper stern and supported by a capclosing the upper end of the tubular unit, the lower float stem beingslidably extended through an aperture in the partition, restricted drainmeans provided at the lower end of said float chamber, said lower floatstem secured to a valve stem extended laterally from the axial line ofand having a downturned stem portion ivotally secured to said valve at apoint eccentric to the valve axis, said valve being free to assume ahorizontal attitude after being raised from its seat, port means beingprovided communicating between said accumulation chamber and said valvechamber below the open position of said valve, said port means providingpassage means communicating with said liquid outlet, whereby when saidvalve is actuated, said float rises, the valve being tilted, is raisedabove said port means, permitting the outflow of liquid through saidport means to pass beneath and support said valve in horizontal positionduring the discharge of liquid and until a pneumatic pressure element ispermitted to bypass liquid flowing through said outlet from said inletand enter said casing, liquid being drained from said float chamberaround said lower float stem until said float is lowered to permitseating of said valve, whereupon the pneumatic element is compressed byliquid entering through said iniet.

2. A device of the nature defined by claim 1, wherein, the confines ofthe aperture surrounding the float stem portion extended downwardlythrough the float chamber bottom formed by the partition, is enlargedforming the restricted drain passage between said float chamber and theoutlet, the stem portion reciprocating through said restricted drainpassage, whereby the drain passage is automatically cleaned by themovement of the stem.

3. A device as defined by claim 1, wherein, the float chamber is portedto communicate with the accumulation chamber at a point at least as farabove the partition between the two chambers as the distance between thetop of the valve chamber and the port means of said valve chamber,whereby the liquid level in said float chamber will raise the float inposition to support the valve in open position above the ports of saidvalve chamber, thereby permitting liquid under pressure to pass beneathand support said valve in open position supplementing the effect of saidfloat.

4. A device as defined by claim 1, wherein, the port means through thesurrounding wall of the valve chamber constitutes liquid passage meanspositioned low enough to permit liquid flowing toward the outlet to passbeneath said valve when in open position thereby supplementing the floatto support the valve when raised.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,502,262 Labiche Mar. 28, 1950 2,524,474 Randel Oct. 3, 1950 2,639,438Hertzberg May 26, 1953 2,629,879 Bennett Mar. 3, 1958 2,839,761 HeidmanJune 24, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 392,061 Great Britain May 11, 1933

